LAREDO, TEXAS –U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Laredo Field Office today announced the rollout of the PRIDE Initiative, a re-dedication to Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Diversity and Excellence throughout the CBP officer workforce at South Texas ports and also the naming of professionalism service managers at Laredo Port of Entry.
“CBP is the premiere border-based federal law enforcement agency in the U.S. and in order to better embody that ideal, we realized the critical importance of re-instilling and strengthening a culture of professionalism throughout our ranks,” said Director, Field Operations David P. Higgerson, Laredo Field Office. “Today’s rollout of the PRIDE Initiative and naming of professionalism service managers together with our stakeholders reflects the Laredo Field Office’s ongoing commitment not only to better serve the communities in which we live and work but also for CBP to foster a greater sense of pride both for and from the community.”
DFO Higgerson delivers remarks regarding the PRIDE Initiative at Laredo Port of Entry as U.S. Consul General David Zimov, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz, Mexican Consul in Charge Juan Jose Martinez de la Rosa and Laredo Port Director Joseph Misenhelter look on.
Sharing the podium with CBP LFO senior managers at the PRIDE rollout was U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, U.S. Consul General-Nuevo Laredo David Zimov, Mexican Consul in Charge Juan Jose Martinez de la Rosa and Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz.
Director, Field Operations David P. Higgerson, Port Director Joseph Misenhelter, Assistant Director, Field Operations Joe Ramos, Laredo Port of Entry and Laredo Field Office, outlined the chief aims of the PRIDE Initiative, which include a re-dedication from the top down to the ideals of professionalism, respect, integrity, diversity and excellence in our frontline CBP officers’ interaction with the traveling public, in all that we do.
The initiative includes the creation of a fully-staffed integrity and professionalism standards division within the Laredo Field Office, recurring professionalism training for our workforce and the deployment of professionalism service managers (PSMs) at Laredo Port of Entry and all South Texas ports. The PSMs, identifiable by their red lanyards, will oversee professionalism training for frontline CBP officers and will be available to receive and address comments, concerns and compliments from the traveling public. PSMs also will meet with, listen to and address comments, concerns and compliments from our travel and trade stakeholders as well.
The PSMs for Laredo Port of Entry are Supervisory CBPOs Javier Peña and Walter Seibert. They can be reached at 956-523-7379 or at psmlaredo@cbp.dhs.gov. Members of the traveling public may also reach out to any CBP supervisor on duty and voice their comments, concerns or compliments with that supervisor.